Chairperson, in evaluating the budget for this department the following words of Fredrich von Hayek come to mind: "It is not the fruits of past success, but the living in and for the future in which human intelligence proves itself."
Minister Pandor, it is indeed so that this is the one department that must have a broad-minded future orientation and consciousness so as to unlock the hidden potential that lies within each South African to not rely on the state for assistance, but to innovate, produce and grow. Therefore, this department, more so than most, can create the type of future we deserve. After all, the best way to predict the future is to create it. Oorhoofs beskou, blyk dit dat die departement se fokus en strategie die regte pad inslaan. Die VF Plus is egter van mening dat hierdie departement se belangrikheid in ekonomiese ontwikkeling steeds te gering geskat word. Die regering sal 'n groter prioriteit van wetenskap en tegnologie moet maak.
Die wese van moderne vooruitgang l in die skep van 'n omgewing waar wetenskaplike en tegnologiese innovasie gedy. Volgens die Verenigde Nasies se Ontwikkelingsprogram se tegnologiese ontwikkelingsindeks l Suid-Afrika nie baie hoog op die skaal nie. Die indeks dui aan hoe goed 'n land nuwe tegnologie skep en versprei en menslike hulpbronne rondom tegnologie ontwikkel. Tans l Suid-Afrika net onder die gemiddelde. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[From an overhead view it is clear that the department's focus and strategy are moving in the right direction. The FF Plus is, however, of the opinion that this department's importance in economic development is still being underestimated. Government will have to make a higher priority of science and technology.
The essence of modern progress lies in the creation of an environment in which scientific and technological innovation can prosper. According to the technology development index of the United Nations Development Programme, South Africa is placed not too high up the scale. This index indicates how well a country creates and distributes new technology and develops human resources around technology. Currently South Africa is lying just below par.]
Why are science and technology so important? From an economic growth point of view, a relationship exists between productivity and national wealth. The relationship is: the more improved the productivity, the more national wealth is created, thus enabling human development. In essence, it is science and technology that drives productivity and actually forms a virtuous cycle, where productivity and wealth leads to further research and skills development, which leads to productivity and wealth.
How, then, can we further enhance our science and technology abilities? Firstly, government needs to spend more of its budget on this sector. Other than policing, health, energy and education - which provide for social stability - this department is the rocket engine that can eventually launch South Africa into the fraternity of developed nations.
Dit is ook die VF Plus se opinie dat die volgende stappe 'n aansienlike rol kan speel in die ontwikkeling van wetenskap en tegnologie.
Eerstens, die skep van 'n arbeidsomgewing, waar verlore kundigheid weer teruggewen en korrek aangewend word. Dit is byvoorbeeld kommerwekkend as van ons beste kernwetenskaplikes oorsee gaan werk soek.
Tweedens, die skep van 'n navorsingsomgewing, waar baie meer navorsers as di wat geoormerk is, gefinansier word. Ons sal ook ons akademiese publikasievermo en uitsette drasties moet verhoog. Daarby moet die staat behulpsaam daarin wees, soos die Grondwet ook vereis, dat navorsers in hulle moedertaal navorsing doen en publiseer. Dit sal lei tot die verbetering van konseptuele denke, die bevordering van inheemse tale en inheemse kennisstelsels, wat ook bekend is as Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Vertalings kan byvoorbeeld met behulp van rekenaarprogrammatuur gedoen word, wat koste ook verlaag. Aan die ander kant is dit ook goed dat daar meer werk vir vertalers geskep word.
Derdens, die aanwysing van universiteite wat die inheemse tale in beskerming neem in hulle navorsingsuitsette. Dit is immers 'n Afrikaanse universiteit wat Suid-Afrika se eerste private satelliet gebou het.
Laastens, Suid-Afrika moet ook begin bel in navorsing en ontwikkeling in tegnologie wat behoort tot 'n toekomstige ontwikkelingsgedrewe bedryf. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.) [It is also the opinion of the FF Plus that the following steps can play a significant role in the development of science and technology.
Firstly, the creation of a labour environment in which lost skills are recovered and correctly utilised. It is, for instance, alarming that some of our best nuclear scientists are looking for work abroad.
Secondly, creating a research environment in which more researchers than those who have been earmarked are funded. We will also have to drastically increase our academic publishing ability and outputs. The state will have to assist in this, as the Constitution also requires, so that researchers can research and publish in their mother tongue. This will lead to the improvement of conceptual thinking, the promotion of indigenous languages and indigenous knowledge systems. Translations can, for instance, be done with the assistance of computer programmes, which will also reduce the costs. On the other hand, it is also a good thing if more work is created for translators.
Thirdly, there is the appointment of universities that will place the indigenous languages under protection in their research outputs. As you know, it was an Afrikaans university that built South Africa's first private satellite.
Lastly, South Africa should also start to invest in research and development in technologies that belong to a future development-driven industry.]
We have to invest in the future by supporting research in space technology. I thank you.